Stringed instrument auxiliary bass-bar and sound plate



ly 3, 1957 R. ARLINGTON 2,800,051

STRINGED INSTRUMENT AUXILIARY BASS-BAR AND SOUND PLATE Filed June 3, 1954 r I INVENTOR. fiexflrlizzgion aajimyw.

ATTCI RN EYS United States PatentO STRINGED INSTRUMENT" AUXILIARY BASS-BAR AND LSOUNDL-PLATE RexArlington, Huntington, Ind.

Application :June'fi, 1954, Serial :No, 434,185

6 Claims. ((184-276) This invention relates to stringed instruments, particularly of the violin family, and in particular an elongated strip of material having a relieved portion in the intermediate part thereof positioned against the under surface of the top of the box or body ofa violin, or the like, on the E string side of the bass-bar and directly below the D and G strings and a sound plate also secured to the under surface of the top of the instrument, positioned directly under the bridge, centered slightly behind the bridge and particularly under the E'string foot of the bridge.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved violin having an extraordinary singing tone with improved carrying power and wherein higher positions on all strings are more easily obtained and which respond more readily with various types of double stops; and which also provides single and double harmonics in both natural and artificial tone characteristics.

Various attempts have been made to use bass-bars and other reinforcing orsound modifying elements in tone chambers of violins, however, in order to obtain desired results itis essential that these, elements be positioned on the E string side of conventional bass-bar and under the D "and G stringsof the instruments. With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates an elongated bassbar having taperingends and having a recess in the intermediate portion separating the intermediate portion from the top of the instrument. and wherein the bass-bar extends substantially throughout the length of the box and is positioned at one side of the conventional bass bar. The invention also. contemplates a sound plate positioned under the bridge and centered behind the E string foot of the bridge wherein the sound plate is set at a right angle to the bridge or positioned parallel with the longitudinal axis of the violin bodywiththe center resting on top of the sound post so that the sound plate difiuses and intensifies vibrations from the A and E strings.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to change the design and the position of bass-bars of stringed instruments whereby extraordinary singing tones and improved carrying power are obtainable.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for forming an auxiliary bass-bar for a stringed instrument whereby tension is provided in the bass-bar which strengthens and intensifies the tone of all strings of the instrument and particularly the tones of the lower or D and G strings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sound plate for stringed instruments which diffuses and intensifies the vibrations particularly of the A and E strings of the instrument.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements in the sound chamber of a stringed instrument particularly of the violin family in which an auxiliary bassbar and a sound plate improve the tone values of all strings and more particularly the lower or D and G strings, the tone values being strengthened and intensified, and in Patented July 23, 1957 2 which 'the' improved instrument is of a comparatively simple and economicalconstruction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies, anelongated strip of material, such as spruce, having ends. of gradually-reducing thickness-with a recess in the intermediate portion providingan auxiliary bass-banpositioned against the conventional bass-bar of the instrument and against the under side of the top thereof and asound'plate, also of a suitable material, such as spruce, also positioned against the under surface of the top of the instrumentand below the bridge whereby tonesparticularly of the lower strings, such as the D and G strings, are strengthened and intensified.

Other featuresand advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing,'wherein: i

Figure .1 is a view looking toward. the under surface, of the top of a violin body. showingthe auxiliary bassbar and sound plate in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the top taken online 2'2 ofFiglpl showing the conventional bass-bar with the auxiliary bass-bar. on the fariside thereof.

Figure 3 is a section similarto that shown ineFig. .2,

taken on line 3- 3 of Fig.- 1, showing the sound plate and auxiliary bass-bar, the sound platebeing. positioned to correspond with a relieved portion or'recess in the surfaceof the auxiliary bass-bar incontact with the under surface of the top Figure 4 is a cross section through a violin body taken on 1ine44 of Fi'g. 1, showing bothrupper and lower portions and also side wallsof the body, and illustrating the positions of the. auxiliary bass-bar and sound plate on the upper portion or, top thereof.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denotecolresponding parts, the improved auxiliary bass-bar of thisinvention, which is referred to by the numera1.10,' is provided with tapering ends 11 and 12 and this bar is positioned at one side of the conventional bass-bar 13 of the violin.

The invention also includes a sound, plate 14 which,

as shown in Fig. l, is positioned ,directly under the bridge- The auxiliary bass-bar 10, which is patterned particularly as illustrated inFi'g. '3, is provided with a relieved portion between-the surface of the bass-bar and inner surface of the top 15 of the violin body and with the auxiliary bass-bar secured, such as by a suitable adhesive, to the instrument top tension will be provided in the bar that intensifies vibration particularly of the lower or D and G strings.

Although it is not intended or desired that the improved bass-bar be limited in size, as an illustration, it is preferred to use a strip of spruce 11% inches in length and substantially of an inch wide with the intermediate portion tapered from A of an inch thick at the ends to substantially of an inch in depth at the center and to provide tension in the bass-bar it is necessary to provide a recess in the surface positioned toward the under surface of the top of the instrument with the recess of an inch in depth andextended substantially of the length of the auxiliary bass-bar. This bass-bar is positioned against the conventional bass-bar and on the E string side thereof with the improved bass-bar extending particularly below the lower or D and G strings.

The sound plate, which may also be made of spruce, is substantially one inch wide by two inches long and this plate is substantially A of an inch in thickness. This plate is preferably glued to the top directly under the bridge and centered about of an inch behind the bridge under the E string foot thereof. The sound plate is set at a right angle to the bridge or. parallel tothe longitudinalaxis of the violin body whereby the center rests on top 'of the sound post whereby the sound plate diffuses and intensifies vibrations from the A and E strings.

With the auxiliary bass-bar and sound plate positioned in this manner the improved sound chamber of a violin strengthens and intensifies the tone of all strings and more particularly the lower or D and G strings, the sound plate diffusing and intensifying the vibrations of the A and E strings. j

The remaining portions of the violin or other stringed instrument are conventional, the neck, bridge and frets being as usual. f

Only the very best instruments of the string family are satisfactory for playing great classical music requiring the use of the higher positions, double stops and harmonies and with the bass-bar and sound plate of this invention installed in a moderate type of instrument the instrument is perfectly responsive to all technical difficulties making it possible to use higher positions on all strings with all kinds of double stops, single and double harmonics and with both natural and artificial tones. With such an instrument a player appreciates that an extraordinary singing tone with extensive carrying power is provided. These elements also permit the use of a higher and thinner bridge and make it possible to play double stops and both single and double harmonics and the high tones are readily distinguished on all strings, particularly on the E string. The use of this auxiliary bass bar also makes the central tone more readily distinguished, making for better intonation and gives the tone of the violin an entirely different timbre, not merely enhancing what it already has, but giving it a different tone.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. f

What is claimed is:

1. A stringed instrument body having atop, an auxiliary bass-bar positioned against the under surface of the top of the instrument body and against one side of the conventional bass-bar, the length of'the auxiliary bassbar being greater than that of the conventional bass-bar whereby the ends of the auxiliary bar extend beyond the ends of the conventional bar, and a sound plate also.

adapted to be positioned against the under surface of the top of the instrument body.

2. A stringed instrument body having a top with a conventional bass-bar on the under surface, an auxiliary bass-bar also mounted on the under surface of the top, located on the E string side of and against the surface of the conventional bass-bar and a sound plate on the under surface of the top positioned under the bridge and slightly behind the E string foot thereof.

3. A stringed instrument body having a top with a conventional bass-bar on the under surface, an auxiliary bass-bar also positioned on the under surface of the top, on the E string side of the conventional bass-bar and against the surface of said conventional bass-bar, and a sound plate on the under surface of the top positioned under the bridge and slightly behind the E string foot thereof, said auxiliary bass-bar having a recess in the surface position against the under surface of the top and in the intermediate part thereof.

4. A stringed instrument body having a top with a conventional bass-bar on the under surface, an auxiliary bass-bar also positioned on the under surface of the top, on the E string side of the conventional bass-bar and against the side surface of said conventional bass-bar, and a sound plate on the under surface of the top positioned under the bridge and slightly behind the E string foot thereof, said auxiliary bass-bar having means for providing tension therein.

5. In a stringed instrument, the combination which comprises an instrument body top having a conventional bass-bar on the under surface thereof, an auxiliary bassbar, the length of which is greater than that of the conventional bass-bar, also mounted on the under surface of the top and positioned on the E string side of the conventional bass-bar and against the surface of said bassbar, and a sound plate mounted on the under surface of the instrument body top and positioned directly under the bridge of the instrument.

' 6. In a sound chamber for stringed instruments, the combination which comprises an instrument body top having a bridge and having a conventional bass-bar on the under surface thereof, an auxiliary bass-bar having tapering ends and having a recess in the intermediate portion and in the surface thereof positioned against the under surface of the instrument body top. and positioned on the E string side of the conventional bass-bar and against the surface of said conventional bass-bar, and a sound plate mounted on the under surface of said top and positioned below the bridge and particularly under the E string foot thereof and said sound plate being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the instrument body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,068,078 Samuelson Jan. 19, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 301,446 Italy Oct. 4, 1932 

